AGEOD Forums

Columbiads and Rodmans were historically coastal artillery. Clearly they represent something else here. Does anyone actually use them? Their speed malus seems to make them problematic for use any but the most McClellan-esque offensives. I doubt anyone uses them as coastal artillery, right?

They're fort artillery. Best defensive artillery you can buy, you just can't put them in mobile formations.

Playing with the USA, I usually include a Rodman in every Army of Potomac's division. I don't see a real disavantage using them in a mobile formation, on the contrary they add a punch.

Njordr wrote:Playing with the USA, I usually include a Rodman in every Army of Potomac's division. I don't see a real disavantage using them in a mobile formation, on the contrary they add a punch.

Not to insult, but a 30% movement penalty is a HUGE disadvantage. There is almost no argument for using them in a mobile unit for any reason. The only mobile use I can see for them is in a siege train.

All I can figure is that they represent the 4.5" siege rifles used by the Union. I guess they'd be best utilized as army-level artillery reserve, where their speed malus could be offset by the HQ's increased chance of MTSG.

Just check range and rate of fire.

I use them in forts along the river system, since they are cheaper than coastal artillery. If I recall correctly, it's near the same cost for the CSA to buy heavy artillery replacements as it is to buy Columbiads.

One siege cannon, two Rodmans, two 20lb parrots and maybe a couple of others, gets thrown in the siege train with General Pope and ~4000 elite infantry to take the Mississippi forts. Grant is usually too busy elsewhere.

jm

I dont mind using rodmans, columbiads, 20lb parrots, or even siege guns in forces that I intend to move, I just try to concentrate them in forces that I don't intend to move as far or as fast. I always keep lighter forces in the area of these, and I try to play each to their strength.

Mortar wrote:I dont mind using rodmans, columbiads, 20lb parrots, or even siege guns in forces that I intend to move, I just try to concentrate them in forces that I don't intend to move as far or as fast. I always keep lighter forces in the area of these, and I try to play each to their strength.

I don't think the 20lbers move less than 100%; the others you mentioned move 70%. Seige guns are so specialized that I leave them behind to rail/boat/march separately and out of harm's way.

What about gatling guns? I'm finding it hard as the Union to find a useful place for such a defensive, short-ranged unit

Cromagnonman wrote:What about gatling guns? I'm finding it hard as the Union to find a useful place for such a defensive, short-ranged unit

Border to Tennessee/ Kentucky, any rear depot that might come under attack of larger forces. a medium brigade with a gatling has chances to throw back an entire division

Is there a chart or spreadsheet anywhere that shows the stats of each type of element? I don't know enough to know what a Rodman was until I stopped the game to look it up. It would be nice to be able to see what the units I am buying are.

sbr wrote:Is there a chart or spreadsheet anywhere that shows the stats of each type of element? I don't know enough to know what a Rodman was until I stopped the game to look it up. It would be nice to be able to see what the units I am buying are.

I think the old Artillery 2.0 thread had a spreadsheet

Sometimes i'll use the rodman/ columbiads in an army stack or a trailling corps with 20lbs my primary corps. They are useful in seiges and defense as well.

I've been experimenting with a couple of gattling guns in incomplete defensive divisions that I'll put in depots (three inf elements, sharpshooter,cav, and a couple of gattling guns). Dug in, that should be able to hold out against everything smaller than a corps. The Gattling guns have rof of 4 and a defensive fire value of 36 with a range of only 3, so I would imagine anywhere where the range is short and you are on the defensive, these guns would be very effective.

sbr wrote:Is there a chart or spreadsheet anywhere that shows the stats of each type of element? I don't know enough to know what a Rodman was until I stopped the game to look it up. It would be nice to be able to see what the units I am buying are.

Dixicrat wrote a wonderful analysis of Artillery. IIRC, the thread is called artillery analysis 2.0 Do a search on him.